Brooklyn Punks
by SashaWritesFiction
Summary: Charlotte J. Wilson is the closest friend Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes have. After learning that both men were dead, she loses her temper and reveals a surprising mutation. 70 years later, Charlotte is SHIELD's top agents. When Steve wakes up in the 21st century, the past comes back to life. As HYDRA poses a threat, will she be able to work through her past or will it haunt her?
1. Prologue: Love and Loss

**Thursday, December 12, 1941 **

"Pick on someone your own size, dunce!" Charlotte angrily yells.  
"Stay out of this, dollface. You don't want to get that pretty face bruised," one of them says flirtaciously.  
"Are you kidding me?! I'll show you what a doll can do!"

Charlotte punches one of the men in the nose, feeling a crack under her knuckles. Another man with rusty blonde hair pulls her back, yanking her arms behind her. She kicks him in his sensitive area, instantly making him let go of her. A third man comes up to her and swings, but she easily dodges it and punches him in the jaw.

The first man she punched puts his hands up, signaling his defeat. He grabs his two other comrades and bolts out of the dark alleyway that they were in.

Steve looks up at Charlotte and furrows his eyebrows.  
"I had them on the ropes. You know that, right?"

She shakes her head at him and smiles, exhausted. With a huff, she walks up to him and drags him out of the alley. "What am I going to do with you, Steven?" she chuckles.

Once they made it out, they were met with a surprised Bucky.  
"Did you take down all of those men by yourself?"

Charlotte shakes her head and laughs sweetly.  
"Of course not! Steve happened to rough up two of the guys for me! Besides, I learned from the best, didn't I?"

Steve smiles at her and Bucky shakes his head at them both. They all then continue to walk out and towards their favorite diner.

* * *

**Saturday, December 14, 1941**

"Charlotte! Steve's outside looking for you!"

Charlotte looks up from her washing at the sound of her name being called by her mother. She finishes the last shirt before freshening up and running towards the front door. She pulls on her winter coat and slips on her shoes.

"Mama, I'm heading out with Steve now! I'll be home in time for dinner!"  
Before her mother could say another word, she bustles out the front door, shutting it behind her. She beams at a chilly looking Steve, who was surprisingly alone. She gracefully makes her way down the steps and hugs her best friend.

"Where's Buck?" she asks.  
"He's off packing for Monday. It's just you and I today, Lottie. I hope that's okay with you," Steve smiles, hoping that she would really want to spend time with him.  
"Of course, I'd want to spend some time with you Stevie! Where to first?"

He grins, shoving his clammy hands into his coat pockets.  
"Well, it's too cold to stay outside for long, so why don't we go watch a film?"  
"That sounds great! Lead the way!"

They link arms and begin to walk towards the nearby cinema.

While walking, Charlotte asked a question that she had been thinking of for a while.  
"Say, Steve, what will I do when you end up being shipped off somewhere? I'll be alone for a while…" Charlotte asked, facing the ground.

Steve chuckles. "You can do anything you want. Just don't get hitched and not have us at the wedding. Oh and I have to meet him before you marry him."

Charlotte laughs genuinely, happy that they can still joke, even in times like this.  
"Don't worry. I'm not planning on marrying anyone other than you and Bucky!"  
"I don't mind the idea of that. Although, I don't want to share a bed with Bucky…"

Happy sounds of laughter fill the frosty winter air. The last of which that will be heard.  
"Promise me that if you get in, you won't forget about me."  
"How can I forget my best gal?"

* * *

**Sunday, December 15, 1941**

Charlotte lies with Bucky, gazing at the blanket of stars that are above them. They were currently at the park, enjoying the cold, snow covered grass underneath them.  
Charlotte scoots closer to Bucky, laying her head on his chest. His left arm wraps around her protectively.

"…Do you have to go, Bucky?" she asks in a near whisper.  
"It can't be helped, Lotts. It's WWII. We need all the help we can get to win this." Bucky murmurs.

A silence rings between them. The only things that could be heard were the rustling of branches through the chilly wind and the sound of their breathing. Charlotte wraps her arm around Bucky's abdomen, hugging him tightly.

"I don't want to lose you Bucky…if you go, then I may never see you again,"  
"Hey," Bucky sits up to look at her clearly. He furrows his eyebrows, "You're not going to lose me, Charlotte! I'm going to survive this war, okay doll?"

"I know, but…what if-"  
"Don't think like that. I'm a tough man, I'll pull through! I'll be home before you know it. Don't worry about me."

Charlotte looks down, her concern for her best friend growing as the next day comes. By morning, he'll be gone fighting 'till his death. Bucky pulls her chin up, getting her to look at him. He pushes a stray strand of her hair away from her face and sweeps it behind her ear.

"Look at me, Lottie. I won't go anywhere. I won't leave you until we're both old and wrinkley. I am not sure whether or not I can be home for Christmas, but I know one thing for sure. Charlotte Josephine Wilson, I love you. And that's something worth fighting for."

Her eyes widen in surprise at his sudden confession. She stays silent, not knowing what to say. She stares at him blankly, questioning her next move. Bucky grabs hold of her hand, squeezing it lightly.

"You don't have to love me back the same way I love you. Just promise me that you'll stay the same and that once I come back, we can go dancing."

She smiles slightly at his words. He looks into her green orbs, searching for anything that seemed like a reply. Out of nowhere, she leans in for a kiss.

"I love you too, James."

* * *

**February 23, 1945**

"Are you Ms. Charlotte Wilson?" asked two men dressed in military uniform.  
"Yes, I am. I-Is there a problem?"

"We regret to inform you that Sgt. James Buchanan Barnes and Capt. Steven Grant Rogers have gone missing. They have been presumed dead and we were told to notify you of this tragic loss."

Dead.

The only word that struck her most. As the two officials spoke, daggers flew through her heart. Her breath hitched and she froze, trying to process the information. This couldn't have happened. It's impossible. They promised.

Her eyes couldn't blink. She brings her hand to her mouth, biting her knuckle to keep from screaming. Tears began to form in her eyes, but she tried her best to hold them back. The two men looked at her, giving her time to take it all in.

"We send our condolences, Ms. Wilson. We are truly sorry for your loss. Our country lost two of the best soldiers to have ever lived."

She looks up at them, her hands trembling.  
"Thank you for informing me…"  
"Oh, and Miss, we found this in Sargent Barnes' bunk. We thought that it had belonged to you."

The men hand her a small, red velvet box and an envelope that had her name scribbled on the front. She takes it from them and sees them off. After shutting the door, she stands there with the box and envelope in hand.

The shock had begun to take over her. Charlotte stands there, clutching the box and the envelope to her chest. Tears were freefalling from her eyes, her lips slightly parted. She takes in a shaky breath. Out of nowhere, she loses it. The pain of losing her closest and only friends was finally taking over. She slides down the door, hugging her knees to her chest, no longer holding in her pain filled sobs.

She takes several breaths in, doing her best to regain her composure. After calming down a little, she brings herself to open the envelope. Inside, a letter that was dated February 18, 1945 lay folded. She pulls it out and begins to read it.

_Dear Charlotte,_

_ If you're reading this letter then it means that I didn't make it. I don't know what to say really. All that comes to mind is "I'm sorry." I'm sorry that I let you down. We were supposed to live together and have Steve live in our closet, right? Sadly, that won't happen._

_ I can imagine the tears rolling down your cheeks. Charlotte, I need you to promise me that you'll stay strong. It's hard, I know, but you need to go on with your life and be happy._

_ I got you something to remind you of me. It's a promise ring. I want you to wear it. It has three diamonds on it. The big one in the middle is you and the two others are me and Steve. I hope you like it._

_ I'm sorry I didn't make it, Lotts._  
_Please don't forget about me, doll. I'll always be here for you. _  
_I love you so much. I always have. I always will._

_James Buchanan Barnes x_

She opens the red box that came with the letter. Inside, a beautiful ring with three diamonds sat in plush white silk. The tears that were washed away formed in her eyes once more. A wail escapes from her lips as Charlotte puts her head down on her knees.

"Bucky… Steve… " she murmurs their names over and over again, feeling as if saying their names would bring them back to life.

Nothing felt real. Nothing mattered anymore.

In a fit of anger and agony, Charlotte bolts up and reaches for the nearest glass item. She picks up a vase and hurtles it across the room. Next was a picture frame. She punches the glass of the frame, shattering it and her delicate pale skin. Blood seeps from the wounds on her knuckles, but she felt numb.

She stares at her fist; makeup smeared and tears still streaming down her face.  
Miraculously, the wounds on her hand began to heal instantly. She disregards it.

Feeling the emptiness of her loss take over again, she screams.  
Unexpectedly, quills bear themselves from her arms. As she stares in shock, she tries to shake them off, not thinking they were real. They go flying across the living room, landing in the wall and causing them to disintegrate.

Was she going mad? What are these…things?!

She swallows hard, unsure of what to do next.

Everything was falling apart at this moment.


	2. Chapter One: The Past is Alive

Charlotte types furiously at the keyboard of her office computer. Files and papers lay scattered around her work desk. The room was fully illuminated by the sun, with a glass wall that looks down onto the busy streets of New York.

It's been almost seven decades since 1945. Charlotte had been recruited into SHIELD after word of her quills and regenerative mutation reached the government. Since then, she has been working as a trusted level nine SHIELD agent. Thanks to the distraction of her work, the pain of losing Steve and Bucky was only a scar. She was the best agent in the business, and she was valued in her workplace.

Taking a break from writing her report on her latest mission, she leans back into her chair and rubs her temples. She hasn't slept in over 18 hours because of the amount of work Fury laid on her.

The lack of coffee in her system was starting to take a toll on her. Charlotte's eyes began to get heavy, the call of sleep reaching her ears. She starts to doze off until-

"CHARLOTTE WILSON! I HAVE A NEW MISSION FOR YOU! WIL- WAKE UP CHARLOTTE!"

She bolts up in her seat, her quills emerging from her skin because of the sudden surprise. When she sees it's just Agent Coulson, she sighs in relief. Rubbing her eyes, she mumbles curses under her breath.

"Walk in screaming one last time and we'll see where my quills land," she threatens.

Agent Coulson chuckles, walking towards her desk.  
"Remind me to get you some coffee before I leave."

He stands in front of her then drops a thick manila folder onto her desk.

"They've found Captain Steve Rogers' body in a block of ice. He's currently down at the labs and you need to go over there to supervise."

At the mention of her "dead" best friend, Charlotte's heart skips a beat. Her eyebrows knit together in confusion, not fully understanding how this could be possible.

"Phil, I swear, you better not be fuc-"  
"Don't finish that sentence. Honestly Charlie, do I look like I'm messing with you?"

Coulson looks directly into her eyes, letting her know that he wasn't joking. Coulson was the first friend Charlotte had in the new century. He considered her a sister and promised himself that he wouldn't let any harm come to her. He did, of course, know of her relationship with Steve Rogers.

He looks down at her and meets her green-eyed gaze. Sternly, he explains why she has to fulfill this mission.

"Look, I know this might be hard for you, but Fury wants you on this. You're one of our best agents and you have control over your mutation. You've been assigned as his guardian and I can't change Fury's mind. Romanoff's on a mission at the moment and Barton's away as well."

She stares at him silently. She takes a deep breath in, trying to calm her nerves. Even if this is her best friend, she can't allow him to compromise her emotionally.

Abruptly, Charlotte stands up and walks around her desk, towards the door. Coulson stares at her with a grin, knowing that she wouldn't turn down a mission.

Charlotte looks over her shoulder to steal a glance at Coulson. Unamused, she speeds ahead of him.  
"Hurry up and walk me to the lab. I'm ninety-two and I'm obviously not getting any younger."

[ … ]

"Agent Wilson, Captain Rogers is currently in a stimulated 1941 setting. We have an agent in there to explain what's going on."

Charlotte nods, looking into the set from behind a one way mirror. She clenches and unclenches her fists, trying to keep from running into the room and explaining the situationto him herself. Her green eyes focus entirely on the event unfolding in front of her.

Steve wakes up and looks around the room, confused. He sits up, trying to remember what happened before he got here. The radio broadcasted a baseball game that he, Bucky, and Charlotte had gone to back in the 40s.

The agent walked in wearing a uniform that fit in with their era. She smiles kindly at Steve, trying not to surprise or scare him. She greets him and stands several feet away from the bed he is in.

"Where am I?" Steve asks.  
"You're in a recovery room in New York City."

Steve looked hesitantly around the room, eyeing the radio specifically.

"Where am I really?"

The agent seems to panic for a second before regaining her composure.  
"I'm afraid I don't understand."  
"Where am I? That game, May 1941, I was there."

From where Charlotte stood, she saw how Steve was starting to realize that this wasn't real. The agent began to back out of the room, unsure of what to do. Making a quick decision, she pushed a panic button on the outside of the set and a security team came bursting in through the door. They charged towards Steve but were easily taken down by him and his muscles. Nothing the guards threw at him seemed to phase him. Steve throws one of the security guards against the wall. The plywood set fell to the ground, creating an escape for Steve. Quickly he darted out of the confines of the room.

"Call Fury and Coulson pronto!" Charlotte ordered, starting to dash out of the door. Her heart as pounding as she raced to get to Steve before anyone hurt him, she heard her name being called over the intercom in the building.

"Code 13. All agents code 13. Agent Wilson needed A.S.A.P."

Out of the corner of her eye, Charlotte sees Steve shoving other guards and agents out of his way. She races to catch up to him, suddenly regretting her choice of footwear. Kicking off her heels, she runs barefoot out onto the streets of New York.

Steve is sprinting out of the building quicker than the speed of light, making it harder for Charlotte to keep up. Pushing herself to get to him before anyone else, she runs as fast as she possibly could.

She loses sight of him until she notices him stop sharply. Steve stands in the center of the street, looking around Times Square. He seemed to be in a state of awe. The lights of Times Square had him distracted as SHEILD cars surround Steve. They skidded to a halt,cornering him and keeping him from getting away.

Charlotte pushes her way through the large crowd that begins to form around them. Finding him again, she exasperatedly calls out his name, distracting him from running further away.

Steve's eyes widen as he sees her for the first time in seventy years. Her jet black hair, green eyes, and olive skin were the exactly as he remembers them. He stares at her, his chest heaving.  
"Charlotte!" he calls back.

"Steve!" Charlotte runs into the circle, yelling and panting. "Steve, I need you to calm down! We're not here to hurt you."

Charlotte stares at him, trying to calculate his next move. As he seems to cool down, she signals for the gunmen around him to stand down. Her shoulders slouch as the adrenaline running through her veins begins to die.

"Lottie… where are we?" Steve asks, still confused.  
"We're in New York City, Steve...you've been asleep for almost seven decades."

Charlotte stands there, staring at him, watching his reaction. Director Nick Fury walks up behind her and lays a hand on her shoulder. With the same blank expression, Fury talks to Steve to explain further.

"I apologize for the show back there, Captain. We thought that we should break it to you softly." Fury puts his hands into his pockets. "How about we go back inside to talk about this more?"

Steve nods and hesitantly walks towards Fury and Charlotte. Fury takes Steve back into the building, calling for Charlotte before they go in. She walks behind them, carefully walking along the smoother patches of the road.

"Agent Wilson?" Fury calls.  
"Yes, sir?"  
"Don't forget to grab your shoes on our way in."  
"Of course, sir."

They walk into the building and in the main entrance hall; Charlotte locates her black heels and grabs them on their way. After a few minutes of walking, they make it to Fury's office on the top level of the building.

Charlotte shuts the door behind her and Steve takes a seat on the chair in front of Fury's desk. Fury turns around to face them both.

"Captain Rogers, I'm Director Nick Fury of SHIELD. The woman behind you is Agent Charlotte Wilson, Level 9. Now, I understand that you might be confused about everything that is happening. That's what Agent Wilson and I are here to explain."

Fury gestures towards Charlotte then continues to speak.

"Your body was found preserved in ice. SHIELD decided to take your body in because of your significance in WWII history. You were thawed and then tested for health related illnesses. After that, we put you into a stimulated environment to hopefully explain everything. That obviously did not happen."

Charlotte walked towards the right side of the room and leaned against the wall. Fury eyes her and points in her direction. Steve turns his head and stares at her, waiting for Fury to continue speaking.

"Agent Wilson will show you the ropes of the 21st Century. I've been made aware that you and Charlotte have already been acquainted, so I'll leave you here."

Fury dismisses Charlotte and she walks out of the door with Steve following behind her closely. Charlotte stays silent, not wanting to say anything in front of other agents. She did, of course, have a strong reputation to keep up.

In the elevator that leads to her office, Steve stood next to her. After a few more moments of silence, Charlotte suddenly wraps her arms around Steve, pulling him into a tight bear hug. Without a second though, he returns the hug with just as much force.

"Steven Grant Rogers, I thought you were dead for almost seven damn decades!" Charlotte says, her voice muffled by Steve's chest. "You don't even know how much I hated being alive without you or Bucky… Brooklyn didn't feel like home anymore. Gosh, I missed you so much!"

Charlotte said every word as fast as she could; feeling like if she didn't speak fast enough, Steve would evaporate into thin air. Love this sentence!

She pulls away from the hug, cupping his face. Smiling at him, she admires the way his features haven't changed. Steve's hands caress Charlotte's face and he stares at her as well.

"What am I going to do now, Lottie?" Steve frowns at her.  
"Don't worry, Stevie. I'll help you get accustomed to the 21st century."

The elevator doors open and the pair are met with a surprised Coulson. Charlotte ignores him, gently letting go of Steve and walking straight into her office. She rummages through her paper filled desk, trying to find her keys and purse.

"Captain Rogers. Wow, I didn't expect to meet you so soon."  
Coulson grinned at him, looking like a jumpy five-year-old who just got to eat the last cookie.

Charlotte looks up at him, raising an eyebrow.  
"Steve, this is Agent Coulson. He's one of my superior agents."  
"Please, just call me Phil."

Steve nods and offers him a handshake that Coulson gladly takes.

After locating her personal belongings, Charlotte walks around her desk and towards Steve.  
"Is there anything I should know before I head out?" she asks Coulson.

"SHIELD made arrangements for Captain Rogers' living quarters. They've rented out an apartment that's directly next to yours. He's officially on your hands now. If anything happens to him, you're liable."

She nods and thanks him for the information. Coulson hands her the key to Steve's apartment, but grabs her hand before she could take it from him. He gives her a concerned look.  
"Be careful with him, Prickly Pants."

She sends him daggers before gabbing Steve and walking back into the elevator. Before the doors close, she calls out, "You can start fangirling after the doors close, Philly Cheese Steak."

Steve chuckles besides her, actually finding their relationship funny. Charlotte smiles, feeling happy to hear him laugh.  
"I hope you packed an extra pair of underwear, Steve."


	3. Chapter Two: 21st Century

Charlotte unlocks the door to her apartment then walks in with Steve following closely behind her. After shutting the door, she notices Steve looking at a few framed pictures she had on the living room bookshelf.

"Isn't that the picture we took the day we went to Coney Island?"

Reaching out, Steve picks up a detailed metal frame that held a picture of him, Bucky, and Charlotte from back in 1940. He remembered that time perfectly.

It had been a gloomy day, so the trio decided that they go out and have a little fun. In the end, Bucky won Charlotte a stuffed bear, Charlotte had gotten mild food poisoning, and Steve had come down with a cold. All in all, they all had a good time.

Charlotte leaves her keys on a side table near the door. She walks towards him, admiring the other pictures as well. Steve puts the frame back and turns towards her.

After all these years, she had ended up looking exactly the same as she did in 1941. Nothing about her facial features changed. Her clothing was the only significant difference she had.

This observation brings up a question Steve has been wondering since he'd laid eyes on her.  
"Lottie… how exactly did you survive through seventy years?"

Charlotte glances at him before looking down and back up at the pictures on the shelf. She bites her lip, unsure of how to explain everything. Her lips part and she begins to speak.

"Back in 1945, I found out that I had a mutation. I really didn't understand it at all. It was a really big surprise quite honestly. With the help of a good scientist friend I have, I finally knew what it was."

Charlotte rolls up the sleeves of her uniform. When she flexes her forearm muscles, out comes a whole row of porcupine like quills. They cover her whole entire forearms, lying flat.

"They're quills. I can shoot them up to twenty-five feet and possibly kill a person since the tips have venom on them. Though, that's not all there was to it."

She retracts the quills and looks up at an awestruck Steve.

"Along with this stuff, there was a regenerative mutation. That means that if I get cut, my body will just fix itself up. I don't age because of it, so I'm stuck looking like this until my body sustains an injury beyond repair."

Steve looked utterly stunned by what Charlotte just showed him. Although he was happy that she wouldn't get hurt, he was still fairly shaken at the fact that she could kill people with her quills.

"Remind me not to get on you mad, Lotts." Steve says, trying to lighten the mood.  
"Please. The last time I hit someone with one of these was when a man cat-called me on the streets. Luckily Dr. Banner was there to give him an antidote."

Steve and Charlotte chuckle lightly at the incident.

Raising her eyebrows, Charlotte turns her attention back to Steve. She looks at him sympathetically, knowing how hard it is to adjust to a new era.

"How are you holding up, Steve?" she asks softly.  
"…Alright I guess. Everything's just really different you know?"

Steve puts his hands in his pocket and stares down at the floor.

Charlotte nods in understanding. She moves closer to him and reaches over to give him a one-armed side hug. Her hand rubs his shoulder comfortingly as Steve leans his head onto the top of hers.

"Lottie, do you happen to know what happened to Peggy Carter?" he asks silently.

She racks her brain, trying to find any information that she knew about the woman Steve named.  
"Margaret 'Peggy' Carter?" he nods.

"Yeah, uhm, Peggy's in a nursing home right now. After WWII we became really good friends, so I visit her every once in a while. I don't think she remembers any of my visits though. She has Alzheimer's."

Charlotte noticed the way Steve's face fell when she said that. Her heart broke as she watched his reaction. She wasn't exactly sure of his relationship with her, but she understood that Peggy fancied him in the past.

Steve stayed silent for a while, not bothering to move his head from Charlotte's shoulder.

When Charlotte extended her right arm to fix a frame, he noticed that she wore a ring with three diamonds set around it. He reaches out for her hand, bringing it close to his face.

"That's the ring Bucky and I got for you."

Charlotte looks up at the hand Steve was currently holding. She stays silent, choosing not to remember how she got it.

Steve looks at her, noticing the sadness in her eyes. He assumed that she hadn't talked about Bucky ever since the 40s. He moves the ring around with his thumb, admiring the way it sparkled.

"He really loved you, you know? Bucky always wanted to take you out some time, but he surprisingly didn't have the guts to ask you."

Charlotte looks away, feeling tears welling up in her eyes. She takes in a shaky breath and tries not to cry. She was an agent! Agents with her skill set don't cry.

"Steve, I'd rather not talk about Bucky right now…" She says, her voice getting quieter with every word.

Steve nods and squeezes her hand comfortingly. She faces him again, and does her best to smile. Charlotte leads him towards the kitchen, wanting to get her and Steve something to eat.

Steve takes a seat on the breakfast bar and watches as Charlotte searches her cabinets for food.

"So, Captain America, are you hungry?" she says sticking her head out of the fridge door. "I mean, you haven't eaten in literally ages. You're probably starving, right?"

Steve nods. As if on cue, his stomach growled loudly. This earned a hearty laugh from Charlotte, who was currently hauling out containers full of leftover dinner from the day before.

"Is that an apple fritter in the orange container?" Steve asks excitedly.  
"Yeah, it is! One of my friends from down the hall came by with some this morning. It's yours if you want it, bud."

Steve makes a mad grab for the fritter, it being one of his favorite foods. Charlotte tosses him a fork, moving to go and heat up some lasagna in the microwave.

"What's that thing you're putting the food into?" Steve asks with a mouthful of fritter.  
"It's a microwave. It's kind of like an oven, but much easier to use."  
"It's so small…"  
"You'd be surprised as to how much food you can make in this thing."

The microwave dings, signaling the end of the heating. Steve jumps in his seat, frantically looking around the room.

"I think there's a bomb in the room!" he exclaims loudly.  
"Steve, honey, calm down! It's just the microwave! There's no bomb in the room!"

Charlotte laughs at his reaction, watching his shoulders slouch with relief. She pulls out the pasta from the microwave and sets it down in front of Steve.

"Hold on, I'll be right back. I need to go change." She says rushing off to her room.

Steve nods, continuing to eat her food.

A few minutes later, Charlotte was dressed in a pair of jeans and a black hoodie with 'BROOKLYN' written across the chest, her hair tossed into a ponytail. Walking back out into the kitchen, she sees that Steve had already finished half of the lasagna.

"Slow down, tiger. Save some for me!"

Steve guiltily smiles at her, trying to look as adorable as possible.

Charlotte takes a seat next to him, grabbing her fork and eating the lasagna with him.  
"So, Stevie, where're we going to find you an extra pair of tighty whiteys?"

A light blush creeps up Steve's cheeks, slightly embarrassed that his best friend has to buy him underwear. Charlotte laughs, grabbing a few more bites of the lasagna.

"I'll take you out shopping tomorrow, yes?"

Before Steve could reply, Charlotte's cellphone rang from her jacket pocket. She pulls it out of her hoodie and answers it. Steve gives the odd little contraption a funny look, making note of it in his head.

"Wilson speaking." She says into it.

"Charlotte, it's Phil. I'm heading over to your place right now. I need to talk to you about something important."  
"Okay. How far are you from my apartment?"  
"I just got out of the base. I should be there in about half an hour."

Charlotte nods, even though Coulson couldn't see her do it. She looks up at Steve and suddenly comes up with a brilliant idea.

"Hey, Philadelphia Cream Cheese-"  
"If I didn't have a soft spot for you, you would've been hung up and turned into porcupine jerky long time ago..."  
"I would have preferred decapitation, but can you do me a huge favor?"

On the other line, Coulson stays silent for a moment.  
"…Which one will it be this time? Pads or tampons?"

Charlotte's cheeks went into a deep shade of red. Steve overheard the telephone conversation and tried his best to pretend he didn't hear anything.

"That's not what I was going to ask!" she hisses into the phone. "I was going to ask if you could stop by a store and buy some spare clothes and undies for Steve you twit. I'll pay you back once you get to my house."

"Ohh… okay, yeah, I can do that."

Charlotte ended the call then, shaking her head and sighing. Steve looked at her, asking her what the little metal box was.

"It's a cellphone. A lot like the telephone but much smaller and more portable."

She hands him her phone, opening up Candy Crush to hopefully keep him occupied for the next few minutes.

[One Hour Later…]

Charlotte had just gotten Steve to put down the phone and take a shower in her apartment. Steve didn't want to be alone at the moment, so she let him stay with her until tomorrow.

Charlotte's dishwashing routine was interrupted by the sound of knocking at her apartment door. She loads the last dish into the washer and then rushes to answer the door.

"Are you a mass murderer or that attractive mailman from the postal service?" she calls out sarcastically.  
"None of the above. Open up, Charlie. My arms are about to fall off."

Chuckling silently, Charlotte opens up the door to find Coulson holding several shopping bags. He shuffles inside, rushing to set the bags down onto the living room floor. Coulson huffs and begins to look around the apartment.

"Where's Rogers?" he asks.  
"He's in the bathroom, showering. Thanks for the clothes, Philly. Now, what did you need to tell me about?"

Coulson whips out his phone and opens a file on it. Handing it to Charlotte, a serious tension suddenly fills the air.

"Back in the 1940s, do you remember anything about an association called HYDRA?"  
Charlotte nods, scrolling through the case file.  
"Well, a highly trained assassin with a metal arm seems to be going around stirring up trouble for them. Director Fury's been notified and he wants you on the case because you seem to know the most about them."

She nods again, focusing on what the article says. As she reads, she remembers her good friend, Natasha, telling her something about this supposed 'Winter Soldier'. From what she understood, this man was deadly. He was obviously posing a huge threat to anyone working with SHIELD meaning she had to have her guard up.

"Tell Fury I'll be on it by tomorrow at noon. For the rest of today I'm focusing on Steven."  
"Got it. Say, Where's Ste-"

"LOTTIE WHAT IS THIS THING AND WHY IS IT BLOWING HOT AIR AT ME?!"

In the background, the blow-dryer was on and whirring loudly. Charlotte rushes to the bathroom, coming to Steve's aid.

When she swings the door open, Steve is there standing in his towel at the corner of the room, glaring frighteningly at the dreaded contraption. She picks up the dryer and turns it off.

"Are you alright?! Steve that was a hair dryer!"

Without saying a word, Steve walks away cautiously.  
"I don't like that thing. It's loud and weird."

Coulson stands outside the door, a pair of sweat pants, underwear, and a t-shirt in hand.  
"Steven… what am I going to do with you?"


	4. Chapter Three: Morning Rush

By 7am the next day, Charlotte was awake and out of bed. Steve was knocked out on the pull out couch, snuggling into his sheets tightly, just as he did before he was transformed into a super soldier.

Charlotte rubs her eyes tiredly, dragging her feet across the hard-wood floors. She makes her way to Steve's sleeping form. When she gets there, she sits next to him, gently shaking his shoulder.

"Steve… Steve, c'mon wake up. It's time for breakfast now." She mutters out sleepily.  
"Steven, wake up. We've got a lot to do today."

Steve rolls around for a minute before putting his head on Charlotte's lap and wrapping his arm around her hips. She smiles at him, remembering how he used to do this whenever he didn't want to go to school.

"Lottie noo… I don't want to get up. Just walk to school with Bucky today."

She cringes at the mention of _his_ name rolling off of Steve's tongue.

"I can't walk with Bucky today, Stevie…"  
"Why not? I'm sure he can fight off the bullies on 10th Street for you."

"Steve no, not today. Get up and get dressed already."

Steve grunts miserably, before opening his eyes and meeting the green orbs that belonged to Charlotte. He smiles at her, trying to ease his way out of doing anything.

"Lottie…" he sang.  
"Steve, if you don't get up within the next few minutes, I will force your ass into a pair of pants."  
"Fine."

[ Several Hours Later… ]

"Steve, are you alright? Tell me if anything or anyone makes you feel uncomfortable okay?" Charlotte says as she walks with Steve through the crowded streets of New York City.

The duo was on their way to a nearby café for a breakfast run. They were both dressed in warm clothes, due to the chilly atmosphere of New York in spring. Holding onto Steve protectively, Charlotte navigates them through the crowds and finally into the warm atmosphere of the café.

"How do you feel about a cinnamon bun and a cup of coffee?" she asks Steve.  
He nods, holding onto Charlotte's shoulders instinctively.

As soon as their breakfast was collected, they took a seat at a table near the back of the store. Charlotte yawns, blinking a few times to make sure she wasn't asleep. She looks at Steve and smiles at him.

"There's a lot to do today, Steve. I hope you're feeling okay enough to be driving around so much." She takes a sip from her cappuccino and a bite from her pastry.

"Don't worry about me, Lottie. Just get your work done. I'll be fine."  
"Sorry. It's going to take me a while to get used to your non-frail self."

Steve laughs, remembering all those times she used to stick up for him.  
"Eat up, soldier." She tells him.

While Steve eats his breakfast, Charlotte looks over the files she was sent on her phone.  
"Seems like HYDRAS really stirring up lots of trouble for themselves."

"I thought HYDRA was disassembled a long time ago." Steve said, looking up from his cinnamon mug.

"I thought so too Steve. From what Howard used to tell me, they were exterminated right after the Nazis lost the war. Someone must've been hiding something because I have an odd feeling we have a spy at the base."

She continues scrolling down her notifications and messages until she finds a text sent by Natasha.

_"__Back from Budapest with Clint. Coffee later? :-) –NR"_

Charlotte smiles, quickly typing back a reply.

_"__Possibly. I've got a guy that I want you to meet. ;)  
Taking him to the VA for a bit. Meet there instead? –CW "_

_"__Sure. See you there, spiker. –NR"_

After that reply was seen, Charlotte put away her phone and looked up at Steve once more.  
"You want to go check out the VA for a bit? There are a few friends I want you to meet."

He nods eager to continue devouring his food.

Before they could continue with their casual conversation, a shrill shriek was heard outside. The crowds that were usually formed outside during the morning rush hour were now dispersed around. Charlotte stood up; looking out the window to see what was causing the chaos.

In the distance, a masked man with shaggy, black hair and a shining metal arm walked along the streets with a gun in hand. Charlotte's eyes widen, realizing who this man was.

The Winter Soldier.

He was coming straight towards the café they were in, getting ready to shoot the place down. Out of impulse, Charlotte turned around abruptly, calling out to all of the people in the shop.

"I need everyone to get out of this place fast! Evacuate the building as soon as possible. Winter's coming." She whispered the last part as she raced to evacuate the whole shop. Everyone was running around trying to get out of there as soon as physically possible. While the shop was in commotion, Charlotte sprinted towards Steve, tugging him out of the booth.

"We need to get out of here quickly. It's not safe anymore."

The front entrance was blocked with a hoard of panicked people, leaving her with no choice other than to exit through the back.

Luckily, she knew this shop well. A single gunshot was fired up at the sky, as if a warning to them from the soldier. Through a hallway at the back of the café, she ran towards the alley way exit, hoping that she was fast enough to escape the masked madman's clutches.

Steve was behind her the whole time, keeping up with her fast pace. When they burst out of the backdoors, Charlotte instantly thought of going around the building and towards her nearby apartment. Those plans were also ruined when the soldier's heavy footsteps echoed through the narrow passages.

"Steve, run. You need to head to safety as soon as possible and call for backup."  
"No! I'm not leaving you here, Charlotte!"  
"Steven, you need to listen to me! GO!"

The masked man stalks towards them, watching and waiting for them to make their move. Steve stood by Charlotte, not wanting to listen to what she told him to do.

"I won't lose you again, Lottie." Steve said preparing herself to fight the masked maniac.

Charlotte reached into her back pocket, pushing a panic button that should have signaled Tony Stark, her very good friend. He had imbedded that feature into her phone after she was mugged on cold New York night.

The soldier shot at her phone, missing it only by an inch. His heavy strides were quicker, not wasting a minute to get to them.

Charlotte readied herself, bearing out her quills to make herself seem more intimidating. She takes her first shot, aiming for his neck. Unluckily, he caught the quill and shot it back towards her.

Steve shoved Charlotte away before the quill could hit her. Although the move was heroic, he was the one hit by it.

"STEVE!" Charlotte called out worriedly, he collapsed onto the hard gravel, body going limp.

From what she knew about her poison, she only had 10 minutes to act before the venom takes over his system. With the Winter Soldier quickly advancing, she knew that her time was short.

The gun was held tightly in his hands, ready and aiming for her. In a split second, Charlotte thinks of a seemingly clever idea.

"Fight me! Put your gun down and we'll go hand to hand," She held up her fists, showing her readiness. "Just like the old days. No knife, no weapons."

Surprisingly, the soldier complied and set down his gun. He sprinted towards her, taking the first hit from her unprotected fists.

He sends a left hook to her side, aiming to daze her. She dodges. Another hit is sent straight to her arm, but out of defense her quills sprout up and pierce through the flesh of the soldier's non-metal arm.

She pulls out, kicking the man in the stomach, sending him toppling over.

As soon as she was sure the man was unconscious, she yanked off the black mask that covered his face. What she saw was surprising.

"Bucky." Her eyes widened at the sight of him. He was supposed to be dead.

Dead.

The ring on her finger proved it all. The letters and the years of pain and crying proved it too. This can't be true.

The soldier was slowly regaining consciousness; the venom not harming him at all.

"Bucky!" She says shaking the soldier's large shoulder.

He wakes up, still disoriented, and pushes her out of his way. He stumbles onto his feet, glaring down to focus on her face.

"Who the hell is Bucky?" He asked, staring down at her. He glanced at her one last time before hesitantly sprinting away.

Just as he was running, Tony, Natasha, Clint, and Bruce showed up. Tony was flying above her, scanning the area for anymore threats. Natasha, Bruce, and Clint raced out of the cars at they were in.

"Charlotte!" Natasha called out at the pain-stricken agent.

"H-he was...h-he-"

"Did Steve get hit with you quills?!" Bruce asked quickly.

Charlotte nods, still at a lost for words. Bruce administers the proper anti-venoms and soon Steve was up and good as new.

"Charlotte, what the hell happened?!" Natasha asked, Charlotte in her grasp.

"The soldier. It was...it was..him. Nat, I saw him."

"Charlotte what are you talking about?"

"The soldier. It was Bucky." Charlotte cries out.

"You probably imagined it. Calm down, Charlie."

Still breathing heavily, Charlotte looks around her, highly confused about the whole mess.

From her plump, pink lips, she muttered out the name of her lover.

"Bucky..."


	5. Chapter Four: Settlements

After the whole predicament with the run in, she and Steve were being brought back to the SHIELD base for further questioning and evaluation. While Tony, Clint, Bruce, and Natasha went off to carry on with their normal duties, Charlotte and Steve stayed behind in Fury's office to have a little "chat".

Coulson stood by the door, watching Fury pace back and forth in his office. Charlotte and Steve sat in front of him once more.

Charlotte sat in the office chair, fidgeting with the hem of her shirt. She was still dazed by the sight of the man that looked like Bucky. The shock was well over her, now being replaced by confusion and a wide range of emotions. Anger and slight annoyance at her lack of professionalism was evident in the stern expression she wore. She put these to the back of her mind for now. She was an agent. Matters like these weren't allowed to be dwelled on.

"Agent Wilson, what in the hell happened out there? How could you let the Winter Soldier get away?" Fury barked.

"Sir, Charlotte was under a lot of pressure then. Y-You can't blame her for-"

"Captain Rogers, Agent Wilson is a first-class agent who has worked for SHILED for over a century. She is more than qualified and knows better than to let her emotions overpower the motive she has for a case." Fury interrupted Steve, slamming his fist on the table.

He looks both of them in the eye, a severe look on his features.  
"Charlotte, you had a chance at possibly giving us more information about HYDRA. The Winter Soldier is one of their biggest weapons and you let him get away!" he yelled.

Charlotte kept a straight face throughout his entire lecture. Steve, on the other hand, looked uncomfortable about Director Fury's rising temper. After several minutes of listening to him rant, Charlotte grew weary of his constant babbles. While he flailed his arms around, she sprang up in her chair.

"We have insight as to who this soldier is." She said monotonously.

Fury stopped his moving and tilted his head in her direction. Charlotte crossed her legs, meeting his gaze with just as much spite as he had in his.

"What did you say, Agent?" he asked curiously.

"I said," Charlotte stood up taller. "We have insight as to who this soldier is."

"And who might that be?" Fury said taking a seat behind his desk.

"James Buchanan Barnes. Look him up and call me when you find out I'm right."

She stood up curtly and strutted towards the door, bringing Steve with her. She pushed Coulson out of the way and made her way out of the office room. She'll deal with more of his scorn later. For now, she had a redhead to talk to.

**HYDRA BASE; WINTER SOLDIER**

The Winter Soldier sat in the corner of his cell at the HYDRA base. He fiddles with the edges of his metal arm, feeling the edges with his fleshy fingers. The face of the young woman who shook him awake flashed in and out of his head. She seemed so familiar, enough to the point where she seemed to matter to him.

There was something about her that made him feel nostalgic. The splay of light brown freckles on her cheeks and nose brought back a fuzzy and distant memory, as did her striking green eyes and jet black hair. What was it about this woman that made his heart beat faster?

His thoughts were interrupted when another one of the workers came in to usher him out of the room. He stood up, following the man outside to the acquainted corridor that he strolled down every so often. The soldier was lead into a room filled with the other HYDRA members.

The memory wiping device was there at the center of the room. He hated that thing. No matter how many times he was strapped into the machine, he was never able to become accustomed to the pain.

The worker shoved him into the seat and his shaggy dark brown hair fell before his eyes. He stared out into space as Alexander Pierce stepped into the room. A wave of fear washed through him. Whenever Pierce was called into the base, it spelled trouble for the soldier. He knew that he had done something wrong and that a severe punishment would ensue.

Pierce spoke but no words registered through his mind. All that occupied his thoughts was the striking image of her.

_Her._

The more he thought about it, the more a flash of what seemed to be a memory came to him. From what he could muster, he remembered a small shop in a robust city; another, a frail blonde man who smiled alongside the woman. All of these seemed to be real, real to the point where it couldn't have been true. It _shouldn't _be true.

"Who were the two agents?" He found himself ask a little too loud.  
"What?" Pierce growled.

"The two SHIELD agents. The blonde and the woman with black hair." He looked up at Pierce, his eyes full of confusion and thirst.

"They were your missions and you let them get away!" Pierce hit him, his palm making impact onto his cheek. Bucky looked down, locking eyes with the ground.

"But I knew them… I knew them." Surprisingly, the corners of his lips curved into a forced smile. The memory was faint, but it was fond.

"Wipe him." Pierce spat.

The soldier's head bobbed up, his face contorted into one of slight anger. In his head, he refused to let this happen. He got up and pushed down the tables that were near him. The metal tools that lay on it clattered to the ground. Pierce stepped towards him and the soldier's fist strikes his face.

"WIPE HIM NOW!"

Other workers held down the soldier, strapping him into the chair. His breathing was heavy, the fear of forgetting the face of that woman overcoming his emotion. He wanted no more than to just remember her completely, but he had a job to do and it had to be done.

A mouthpiece was put into his mouth and he no longer gave up a struggle.

"_Fight it. You can't forget. You can't._" he thought to himself.

The machine was powered up and the sounds of the power surging through it echoed in the room. A jolt of pain washed over him and he screamed out in pain.

"_Don't forget her!_"


	6. Chapter 5: Aftermath

"Fury's going to be pissed at you." says Natasha with a smirk. "I'm surprised he even let you walk out of the room." Natasha walks around the gym they were in, taking a quick breather from her punching bag. She looks in Charlotte's direction as Steve helped her bandage her fingers.

"He'll thank me later. I just know that I'm right, Nat! I know what I saw, and even if I'm 2,000 years old, these eyes are as good as new!" As soon as she was done, she helps Steve with his bandages as well, planning on teaching him a few things. He looks up at both women, not exactly knowing who the red-head was.

"So this is Mr. Captain America, Charlie?" Natasha asks from behind a punching bag. She puts her hands on her hips, eyeing the blonde carefully.

Charlotte looks up, nodding. She sighs and smiles up at her friend.  
"Steve, this is Natasha Romanoff. Natasha, this is Steve Rogers." She points.

Natasha waves and smiles at the man. She goes back to her punching bag, practicing her fluid movements. Steve goes back to looking at Charlotte, noticing her stressed expression.

"You alright, Lottie?" he asks tentatively.  
"Yeah, I'm fine Steve." She replies.  
"Is it Bucky?"

She looks up at him only to avert her gaze once more. She swallows thickly, licking at her teeth. Her emotions were weakness and feeling so many things at one time overwhelmed her and her idea of being an agent. Looking down at the ground, Charlotte mutters, "I'm supposed to be strong Steve. I'm supposed to be an agent, and right now, I'm failing at it miserably."

Steve is unsure of how he can make her situation better. He's just gotten back and a new reality is just thrown out at him. The world that he knew then is irrelevant to the circumstances that he has been presented now.

A pause rings between them as Natasha continued to train on her own. Awkwardly, Steve gazes down at Charlotte, who was fiddling with the edges of her bandages. "We'll figure it out." was the only phrase that he could muster at the moment. Charlotte looks up at him and smiles sweetly. "We always do, don't we?" she replies.

Charlotte bounces on her heels before dashing off to join Natasha with her punching bag. Steve followed. As they threw punches, a question came into Charlotte's mind.

"So you've encountered the Winter Soldier guy before Nat?" asked Charlotte.  
"I was on a mission," Natasha answered. "He shot me right on the hip. Bye, bye bikinis after that."

"Wait, so this isn't the first time this guy's attacked?" Steve butted in.  
"Well, no. You see, this thing- or guy- is a ghost. He disappears from the system quicker than you can hide your powers. He's something else, you know?"

Charlotte stayed silent, thinking to herself. He is something else… Bucky is. She shows Steve how to throw an uppercut and he follows her movements. Natasha continues to practice her kicks and punches, glancing at the pair every once in a while.

"Hey, Lottie," she called out, "your friend Sam Wilson from the VA clinic called the base earlier. Wanted to know if you're okay."

Charlotte looked up from her teaching and smiled. She and Sam Wilson had met during a Sunday morning jog. They became good friends and almost lovers after several brunches. They decided to remain friends after Charlotte explained that her career was her main priority.

"I'll call him a little later." she replied.

The boxing session went by quickly and they went their separate ways. Natasha went to go shower and freshen up while Steve and Charlotte went to go change. The pair went back up to Charlotte's office, wanting to go check in on any news that might have come in.

As Charlotte sat behind her desk fiddling away at her computer with one hand and writing on the other, Steve walked about the room, eyeing everything curiously. The door slammed open with Coulson stomping into the room angrily.

Charlotte glanced up and put on a scowl. She slid back in her chair, crossing her arms like a five-year-old. "Phil, I know exactly what you're going to say and I-"

"Don't pull that stunt again, Charlotte. You very well could have been fired from this organization!"

"What did you expect me to do?" she threw her arms up frustrated. "You can't assume that I'll take shit from Fury just because he's the boss man. If I have something to say, I'll say it!"

"The way you're acting makes you seem like a rookie agent! I might as well fire you right now if I could!"

Coulson stood before her, his arms crossed and a frightful glare on his features. Both Coulson and Charlotte stared at each other with gritted teeth, choosing not to start anything with each other just yet.

"C'mon you two. Stop fighting with each other." Steve stood on the sidelines, watching them.

Coulson looked at Steve with gentle fury.

"I know you're new here, Captain Rogers, but you have to understand that things around here run on order. That order needs to be followed by everyone, INCLUDING our oldest members." he made sure that Charlotte knew he was talking about her.

"That sounded more like a threat than a command for order." Steve said, his eyebrows knitting together.

"Well that's just how things run, Captain Rogers."

"Then it's not order you're running on. That's fear."

Silence rang throughout the office. Coulson licked his lips, nodding at Steve's reply. He turned around to Charlotte and pointed a finger at her.

"Don't go around talking like that to Fury. Got that kid?" Coulson said to her.

Charlotte stared back at him with a slight nod. She looked at him for a brief moment before standing. "Tell Fury I'll buy him coffee for a week. Also, tell him to give me the latest intel about anything that has to deal with the Winter Soldier. It won't happen again."

She reached for her cellphone and scrolled through her contacts, looking for Sam Wilson. Coulson nodded, gesturing towards the folders scattered on her desktop.

"All paperwork for past reports is due tomorrow at noon. Fury's desk, hand them to me tomorrow morning, I'll turn them in for you."

Resisting her urge to groan, Charlotte nodded just to keep him from lecturing her further. Just as she was getting ready to go, Coulson grabbed her forearm and pulled her back. With a serious glint in his eye, Charlotte knew that he meant business.

"There's something that Fury needs to discuss with you and Captain Rogers today. Meeting at three with the rest of the crew. Don't be late."

With that said, Coulson let her go. She nods, showing that she understood. Coulson stepped out of the room, and Charlotte tapped away at her phone. The line began to ring as Steve continued to look at her, wondering what she was up to.

"I hope you don't mind meeting a friend of mine. Hopefully you two can bond while I'm away working…"

The other line clicked, and a deep voice came across the phone speaker.  
"I honestly thought you stood me up."

Charlotte laughed at Sam's greeting.  
"Got into a scuffle. Sorry about that."

"No worries, Charlie. I'm just glad you're okay. That's all that matters."

As Sam spoke, Charlotte moved around to where Steve stood. She ushered him into a seat and sat across from him. She looks up at him to meet his blue eyes and smiles.

"I've got a guy you might want to meet. My adoptive brother to be specific. Want to meet up with him?"

Sam seemed to have brightened up at the sound of that. "I'll be glad to. When and where?"

"I'll drop him off at the clinic right now. I'm assuming you're still there, workaholic. I need him by three though," she smirked, "the old man needs his sponge bath."

Steve laughed at her remark, playfully punching her knee as she said it.

"Okay then," Sam chuckled, "I'll see you then. Bye, Charlie."

The line died and Lottie looked up at Steve who looked back at her with a grin.

"Nothing's changed about Lottie. Nothing at all."  
"You love me Steve, we both know it." Charlotte got up and wrapped her arms around his broad figure.

"I'm so sorry I can't stay with you. I wish I could, but I really need to get on with work. Sam's a good guy though, so don't worry about that. If you need anything, anything at all, just ask Sam for his phone and-"

"Lottie… I'll be fine. Don't worry about it."

Charlotte blushed. "Right. Sorry about that, Steve."

"C'mon. Let's get to that friend of yours, so you can finish up with work."


End file.
